THE

PROCES

OF

THE SEUYN SAGES.

VOL. III.

THE

PROCES

OF

THE SEUYN SAGES.

LORDYNGES, that here likes to dwell,
Leues yowr speche and heres this spell :
I sal yow tel, if I haue tome,
Of the seuen sages of Rome.
Whilom lifed a nobil man,
His name was Dyoclician;
Of Rome and of al the honowre
Was he lord and emperowre.
An emperès he had to wyfe,
The fayrest lady that bare life;
Of al gude maners ful auenaunt,
And hir name was dame Milisant.

10

A childe thai had bytwix tham two,
The fayrest that on fote myght go,
A knaue child that was tham dere;
Of him sone sal ye selkuths here.
Sone efterward byfel this case,

The lady died and grauen was,

And went whare God hyr dight to dwell;
Tharfore of hir namore I tell,

Whether sho past to pyne or play,

Bot of the son I sal yow say.

When he was seuyn winter alde,

Of speche and bourding was he balde.
Florentine his name cald was.
Herkens now a ferly case!

His fader was emperoure of Rome,
A nobil man and whise of dome,
And Florentine, that was so fayre,
Was his son and als his ayre.

It was nothing that he lufed mare,
Tharfore he wold him set to lare;
And sone he gert byforn hym come
Seuyn maysters that war in Rome.
The tale vs telles, who to it tentes,
That thai kowth al the seuyn sienz.
when thai war efter sent,

And sone,

Hastly to the court thai went ;

20

30.